For weeks, the race for the snowiest large city in the nation has basically consisted of Erie, Pa., holding onto a big lead, while Syracuse - the usual champion - has barely remained within striking distance.

Yet Pat DeCoursey, who monitors the national totals, says this week's storm could elevate a legendary snow city that had seemed to be fading:

"Most of us are overlooking Buffalo," DeCoursey wrote, noting how that Western New York city could be leading the Golden Snowball race, by Thursday night.

According to DeCoursey's latest numbers, Erie leads the nation with 123.9 inches of total snowfall, followed by Syracuse at 114.8, Grand Rapids, Mich. at 110.7 and Buffalo at 106.8.

Dan Kelly, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Buffalo, said forecasts indicate his city will receive 10 to 17 inches of snow in the storm, expected to begin Wednesday and end Thursday. Syracuse could get from 8 to 14, Kelly said, while Erie is looking at 6 to 8 inches.

In other words, the storm could lift Buffalo into the lead - or close to it - in both the state and national snow derbies, thus providing a wild late-season twist to a close snow race. DeCoursey, who tweets under the handle of "Goldsnowman," summarized it well on Twitter: